The Effectiveness of Pull Quotes

Here is a something I've debated in my head for a long time.... Using quotes from reviews was a long time practice for selling tickets to shows. Then the 1980's era of the primarily Cameron Mackintosh led mega musicals changed this with shows like CATS, PHANTOM, LES MIS, MISS SIAGON, etc. Where it was all about the branding, the artwork symbol, i.e.- The Phantom mask or Cat Eyes. Along with a phrase of copy like "Now and Forever".

Now we seem to be back into the pull quote system again... but here is my question... do pull quotes work? Or does the general public assume that all quotes are good quotes and so what difference does it make? Even shows with bad reviews find random quotes to use. So if every single show has a "great quote" plastered on there advertising, does it not make it all a wash? Does it have any merit and effect?

For me, I suppose it's better than nothing. If I see no quotes for a show that's been open a while, it's not a good sign.

But with any quote I look at two things. The most important is who said it, then I look at the quote itself.

If the group of quotes comes from fringe radio stations and small publications and nothing else, that says a lot to me about how far they had to dig to find "good ink."

Then I look at the quote. If it's completely generic, like "A delight!", that could be about anything or anyone involved. I look for more specific comments with as few ellipses ( ... ) as possible, which usually indicate edits.

In the end, does it make a huge difference? Perhaps it serves more as added support for a show I'm interested in. I don't think I've ever gone to a show where my decision was solely based on pull quotes.

NY Post reviewer Elizabeth Vincentelli - "Despite what the ads for "Wonderland" claim, I did not say that the show is "a wondrous journey!" That pull quote is an egregious distortion of what I actually wrote in my review .

Here's the full line: "As in the original story, Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy's book sends Alice (Janet Dacal) on a wondrous journey." Now, this sentence clearly refers to the plot, not the show -- described in the previous sentence as ""this flat new Broadway musical." (The ad also put in the exclamation mark, because why the heck not?)"

Please remember that the pull quotes are intended for people who are not passionate theatergoers. Rather, they are aimed at tourists and you can never underestimate how little tourists know about shows. In the past I've met out-of-towners who were disappointed Leonardo di Caprio wasn't in the TITANIC musical and that ANNIE was about Annie Oakley.

Just recently we met some women from Iowa who were convinced that KINKY BOOTS was playing at the palace because there's a big ad for it above the theater. They also swore that they spotted Cyndi Lauper on line at TKTS.

If you're dealing with that mentality, then pull quotes certainly will work.

The best pull quotes were from the recent GREASE revival. Literally, it was a stack of 10 quotes from top publications and each one of them said the same exact thing: "THE ONE THAT I WANT!"

As for effectiveness, I would say they matter very much.

Highlighting words and sentences provide the impression that your ticket purchase is for a show with value. They are just as important as "BEST PLAY" or "BEST MUSICAL" or PULITZER WINNER" or "DANIEL CRAIG."

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle